Causes of Examination Anxiety on the Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Okigwe Zone 1 Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study determined the effects of examination anxiety on the academic performance of secondary school students in Okigwe zone 1 Imo State, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey design.  The population of the study comprised 1,035 respondents comprising 60 principals and 975 teachers of public secondary schools in Okigwe zone 1 Imo State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling, 207 principals and teachers were used for the study. Data collection was carried out using Effects of Examination Anxiety Questionnaire (EEAQ) for students. The instrument was subjected to face and content validity by three experts. The test of reliability on the instrument yielded coefficient values 0.75, 0.77 and 0.87 for Sections A, B and C respectively with an overall reliability co-efficient value of 0.80. Data were analyzed using mean. The mean value was used to answer the research questions. Findings revealed that students' individual factors, school factors and parental factors cause examination anxiety among secondary school students in Okigwe zone 1of Imo State. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that secondary school students should be trained to adopt good study habits, examination halls, provision of teaching materials, teaching aids in secondary schools, engage themselves in academic and physical activities that will adequately prepare them for examinations. It was also recommended that government, counsellors as well as other educators should create enabling learning environment for students free of tension and unnecessary stress so as to minimize anxiety and amongst others.